Winding apparatus for making a wire helix

ABSTRACT

In an apparatus for making a wire helix by winding a wire about a mandrel by means of a rotating wire guide which withdraws wire from a storage reel, the mandrel is rotatably supported in the wire guide and has such a moment of inertia with respect to its axis of rotation that any torque transmitted by the rotating wire guide to the mandrel is insufficient to cause a revolving displacement of the latter.

nited States Patent 1191 Sohr WINDING APPARATUS FOR MAKING A WIRE HELIX [76] Inventor: Hans-Ulrich Sohr, D-5408, Nassau,

Lahn, Germany Filed: May 14, 1971 Appl. No.: 143,580

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 14, 1970 Germany ..P 20 23 560.3

US. Cl ..57/34 HS, 57/18, 56/6 Int. Cl. ..D02g 3/36, D02j 13/00 Field ofSearch ..57/3, 6, 9, 34 R, 57/34 HS, 18, 58.52, 58.81,l38,156,160, 161, 163

1111 3,732,679 1 1 May 15, 1973 [56] References Cited UNITED8TATEFATENT' 1,949,484 3/1934 Mayer ..57/l8 1,748,995 3/1930 Reichelt et al. .1 ..57/l8 1,872,971 8/1932 Kingman ..57/18 2,542,184 2/1951 Egge ..s7/1s Primary Exqminerl2onald E. Watkins Attorney-Edwin E. Greigg s71 AnsTRAcT In an apparatus for making a wire helix by winding a wire about a mandrel by means of a rotating wire guide which withdraws wire from a storage reel, the mandrel is rotatably supported in the wire guide and has such a moment of inertia with respect to its axis of rotation that any torque transmitted by the rotating wire guide to the mandrel is insufficient to cause a revolving displacement of the latter.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a winding apparatus for forming a helix of a wire or similarly shaped synthetic article and finds particular application in the manufacture of slide fasteners. The term wire is used in a broad sense and includes flexible, elongated filaments made of a material other than metal.

It is known to make wire helices by means of a rotary mandrel on which the wire is wound subsequent to its withdrawal from a storage reel. It is a disadvantage of an apparatus of this type that a continuous operation is difficult to maintain. According to other known structures, the winding mandrel is stationary, while the storage reel rotates thereabout to helically wind the wire on the mandrel. In such a structure the masses to be moved are substantial which, on the one hand, requires elaborate devices for a controlled braking of the storage reels and, on the other hand, limits the output of the apparatus.

According to German Pat. No. 1,124,227, a length of wire is drawn from a stationary storage reel by means of a wire guide which orbits about a mandrel and thus winds the wire thereon. Although with such a device the output may be increased as compared to earlier devices, particular structures have to be provided to immobilize the mandrel with respect to the wire running thereabout. As disclosed in German Pat. No. 1,140,698 the mandrel may be held stationary by permanent magnet means.

Winding devices of the aforenoted types are disadvantageous in that they are structurally elaborate, they are exposed to substantial wear and are limited to a relatively small torque coupling. The latter applies in particular when heavy wires are used for making heavy duty slide fasteners. Known machines for making series of slide fastener components which are to receive a filler cord, require very complicated additional devices.

In winding machines with rotary storage reels the introduction of a filler cord also requires a complex arrangement. Thus, for example, the apparatus disclosed in Patent No. 1,096,025, requires a sleeve-like mandrel which limits the thickness of the filler cord in relation to the inner cross section of the wire helix.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide an improved, high-output winding apparatus of the aforeoutlined type wherein the aforenoted disadvantages are eliminated and which is of a very simple and operationally safe structure and further permits a simple introduction of a filler cord in the course of the manufacture of slide fasteners.

Briefly stated, the invention is incorporated in a winding apparatus of the aforenoted type wherein a wire guide, while orbiting about a stationarily held mandrel, draws the wire from a storage reel and deposits it on the mandrel in a helical configuration. According to the invention, the mandrel is rotatably supported by the wire guide and has a mass so designed that its inertia entirely or in part prevents it from being drawn into rotation by the rotating wire guide. Since the mandrel is rotatably supported by and with respect to the wire guide and that only the latter is driven, a rotation of the mandrel may occur only by virtue of a torque transmitted to the mandrel from the wire guide. By means of a large inertia of the mandrel with respect to its axis of rotation, the acceleration imparted on the mandrel may be maintained at a small value, so that a permanent torque acting on the mandrel, if such a torque is at all present, may be eliminated with ease.

The invention will be better understood, as well as further objects and advantages will become more apparent, from the ensuing detailed specification of a preferred, although exemplary embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a simplified axial sectional view of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a simplified side elevational view of the same embodiment at a reduced scale;

FIG. 3 is a simplified sectional view along line IIIIII of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view at an enlarged scale of some of the components shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to FIG. 11, a stand 10 includes in spaced axial alignment two identical bearing supports 12 and 14, the common axes of which coincide with the winding axis 16. The bearing supports 12 and 14 receive, respectively, ball bearings 18 and 20 which, in turn, rotatably support a hollow cylindrical wire guide 22. It is to be understood that instead of a closed cylindrical body as illustrated in FIG. 1 the wire guide may have a cage-like configuration that is rotationally symmetrical with respect to the axis 16. The radial end faces 24 and 26 include circular openings that receive, in axial alignment, ball bearings 30, 34 for supporting a winding mandrel 28, the axis of rotation of which coincides with the winding axis 16. Although the winding mandrel 28 is rotatably supported, during operation only the wire guide 22 is allowed to rotate. For this purpose, the mandrel 28 is substantially asymmetrical with respect to the horizontal winding axis 16 as far as the distribution of its inert mass is concerned. As seen in FIG. 1, the portion 36 of the mandrel extending between the bearings 30 and 34 is formed as a pendulum weight having a center of gravity at a relatively large distance from the horizontal axis 16. The mass of the pendulum 36 is so designed that the gravitational force thus opposing the torque applied to the winding mandrel 28 from the wire guide 22 by virtue of the friction of the bearings 30 and 34 prevents any appreciable excursion of the winding mandrel and by no means will a revolution thereof about axis 16 occur. No substantial masses of the winding mandrel 28 are situated above the axis 16; this space may be occupied by other components. Similarly, the space below the axis 16 in the vicinity thereof is also free from any appreciable mass of the winding mandrel. This space, designated at 38, receives a storage bobbin 40 carrying a filler cord wound thereon. The bobbin 40 is held rotatably in the mandrel 28 about the geometrical axis 16 so that a withdrawal of the cord carried thereon has no substantial effect on the mass distribution with respect to the axis 16. Such an arrangement, however, is not to be considered as limiting the structure of the invention; the cordcarrying storage bobbin may be also arranged in such a manner that its axis is vertical or horizontal and it crosses or intersects the winding axis 16 at a right angle.

From the radial end face 26 of the wire guide 22 there extends axially outwardly a hub 52, in an axial bore of which there is fixedly held an axially hollow output shaft 42 of a drive 44. The wire 48 to be helically wound passes, from a stationary or rotary storage reel (not shown) through the bore 46 of the motor shaft 42, a lateral bore 50 provided in the hub 52 and a throughgoing passage 54 in the cylindrical wall of the wire guide 22. The wire 48 emerges from the wire guide 22 at the radial end face 24 remote from the motor 44, and, at 56, is wound on the bar 58 forming part of the winding mandrel 28. A smooth conical surface 60 at the beginning 56 of the bar 58 and a projecting bearing pin 62 integral with the wire guide 22 and associated with the ball bearing 30 ensure that the wire 48 is wound on the bar 58 exclusively at location 56. In this manner, upon each revolution of the wire guide 22, the new turn of the wire pushes the already formed helical winding of the entire helix forward (i.e. away from the wire guide 22) on the bar 58 without thus necessitating separate devices for effecting the removal of the helix from the bar 58.

As briefly noted hereinbefore, the bobbin 40 rotatable about the axis 16 carries a filler cord 64 which is guided over the guide rolls 66, 68 and a bore 70 provided in pin 62, to the bar 58. Preferably, the filler cord 64 is constituted by a crimped yarn formed of a great number of elastic elementary strands. It is a property of yarns of this type that the ratio of their length and diameter may be varied between very large limits as a pulling force is exerted thereon. The bore 70, as best shown in FIG. 4, terminates at 72 in the conical face 60 in the vicinity of the beginning 56 of the bar 58.

The filler cord 64 emerging from the opening 72 is grasped by the wire 48 as the latter is rotated about the axis 16 by virtue of the wire guide 22. As a result, the filler cord 64 is immediately immobilized and compressed. By virtue of the obliquely directed engagement by the wire 48, the filler cord 64 is slightly pressed into the hollow spaces formed between adjacent turns of the wire. As a result, after removal of the helix from the bar 58, the crimped yarn, due to its expansion, fills out the entire internal cross section of the helix.

FIG. 3 illustrates, in a simplified manner, how a cross-sectionally non-cylindrical bar 58' is prevented from rotating by fingers 74 and 76 as the helix 48b is axially advanced. The efficacy of the fingers 74, 76 may be increased by providing in the bar 58', as illustrated in FIG. 2, an axially offset portion 78 engaged by the fingers 74, 76.

The wire guide 22 is preferably heatable. Since the guide 22 is a rotary member, the heat energy may be transmitted easily inductively as electrical energy. Within the winding mandrel, there may be provided a heatable guide sleeve for guiding and heating the filler cord. If required, between the wire storing reel (not shown) and the wire guide 22 there may be provided a wire brake to tension the wire drawn from the storage reel.

What is claimed is:

l. A winding apparatus for making a wire helix, comprising A. a wire guide body rotatable about a winding axis and including integral wire guide means orbiting about said winding axis,

B. motor means operatively connected to said wire guide body for rotating the latter, and

C. a mandrel rotatable about said winding axis and having 1. a first portion rotatably held by and with respect to said wire guide body and having a mass of a magnitude sufficient to prevent revolution of said mandrel in response to a torque applied thereto by said wire guide body during the rotation thereof and 2. a second portion forming a bar axially aligned with said winding axis and integral with said first portion; said wire being helically wound on said bar by said wire guide means.

2. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said winding axis is disposed with respect to the vertical at an angle other than 0"; said first portion of said mandrel is formed as a pendulum with respect to said winding axis.

3. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said bar includes a part extending spaced from said winding axis; said apparatus further includes stationary holding means engaging the last-named part for preventing said mandrel from rotating.

4. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 1 including A. a yarn storing means held by said mandrel and B. means contained in said mandrel for applying said yarn to said bar between turns of said wire helix during the winding thereof.

5. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said yarn storing means is formed of a bobbin rotatably held by and with respect to said mandrel.

6. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said winding axis is horizontally disposed.

7. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said pendulum is rotatably supported at two spaced locations in said wire guide body; the space along and about said winding axis between said spaced locations is unoccupied by said mandrel.

8. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, including means for heating said wire guide body.

9. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, including braking means disposed upstream of said wire guide means for tensioning said wire during the winding thereof on said bar.

10. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 4, including A. a guide sleeve disposed in said mandrel to receive and guide said yarn and B. heating means associated with said guide sleeve for heating said yarn. 

1. A winding apparatus for making a wire helix, comprising A. a wire guide body rotatable about a winding axis and including integral wire guide means orbiting about said winding axis, B. motor means operatively connected to said wire guide body for rotating the latter, and C. a mandrel rotatable about said winding axis and having
 1. a first portion rotatably held by and with respect to said wire guide body and having a mass of a magnitude sufficient to prevent revolution of said mandrel in response to a torque applied thereto by said wire guide body during the rotation thereof and
 2. a second portion forming a bar axially aligned with said winding axis and integral with said first portion; said wire being helically wound on said bar by said wire guide means.
 2. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said winding axis is disposed with respect to the vertical at an angle other than 0*; said first portion of said mandrel is formed as a pendulum with respect to said winding axis.
 2. a second portion forming a bar axially aligned with said winding axis and integral with said first portion; said wire being helically wound on said bar by said wire guide means.
 3. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said bar includes a part extending spaced from said winding axis; said apparatus further includes stationary holding means engaging the last-named part for preventing said mandrel from rotating.
 4. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 1 including A. a yarn storing means held by said mandrel and B. means contained in said mandrel for applying said yarn to said bar between turns of said wire helix during the winding thereof.
 5. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said yarn storing means is formed of a bobbin rotatably held by and with respect to said mandrel.
 6. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said winding axis is horizontally disposed.
 7. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said pendulum is rotatably supported at two spaced locations in said wire guide body; the space along and about said winding axis between said spaced locations is unoccupied by said mandrel.
 8. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, including means for heating said wire guide body.
 9. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, including braking means disposed upstream of said wire guide means for tensioning said wire during the winding thereof on said bar.
 10. A winding apparatus as defined in claim 4, including A. a guide sleeve disposed in said mandrel to receive and guide said yarn and B. heating means associated with said guide sleeve for heating said yarn. 